Falls Dusk
by Warn Nelle
Summary: Lily Joseph was "changed" in 1920s Chicago. After spending a year with Carlisle and Edward, she struck out on her own. Sixty years later in London, England, she meets Hector Klaus, an ancient vampire from Croatia and an old friend of Carlisle's.
1. Chapter 1

LILY

I was twenty years old when I died.

The year was 1922, and I was walking home from seeing Joe "King" Oliver and his Creole Jazz Band at the Royal Gardens Café. The walk was a short one through a safe neighborhood, and I didn't blink an eye at walking home without an escort at that time of night. After all, it was the Roaring Twenties. Flappers had liberalized women from strict social and sexual norms, and speakeasies were on every corner. It was a cold, clear night, and the glow from the moon reflected off the snow, providing more than enough light for the walk home.

Unfortunately for me, it was more than enough light for the thugs who accosted me. I was raped, beaten, and left for dead in the snow. Eventually, as I gasped for air and my heart struggled to beat in my chest, a dark shadow fell across me. I gargled for help, but the figure said nothing, staring silently down at me, watching me die. As my vision faded, I was vaguely aware of a sharp prick to my wrist, and I wondered briefly if the rats had set upon me before I was even dead.

Then, for a brief, wondrous moment, there was nothing. The pain was gone, and I was floating blissfully in a sea of black. And just as quickly as that moment came, it was gone, replaced by searing, screaming pain. I don't know how long the pain lasted, only that I prayed for death as I never had before. It made me wish for the pain of the attack I had suffered at the hand of the thugs who'd accosted me on the street.

Eventually, the pain subsided and I was able to open my eyes. At first I was confused and overwhelmed. I thought I had died, although I wasn't sure I was in heaven. The whole world was so much more… _intense._ There was a sharpness to everything that hadn't been there before, like I'd only been looking at life through a sheet of wax paper until that moment. The slightest movement caught my attention, and I found myself mesmerized by the snowflakes that had begun to fall around me. That led to the realization that not only was I really _seeing_ snowflakes for the first time, but that I could _hear_ them as they sliced through the air. And not only could I hear them, I could _smell_ them. They smelled cool and clean, like cotton without the bite.

There was another smell in the air. Something both familiar and foreign to me at the same time. Whatever the smell, my immediate gut reaction was to put as much distance between it and myself as possible. No sooner had I eyeballed a tree several yards away from me, then I was behind it, with no memory of having conveyed myself there. I staggered, gripping the tree for balance. It crumpled beneath my hands. Panic began to seep through me. What was going on? What had happened to me?

A flicker of movement caught my eye, and with it another wave of that foreign-but-familiar smell. This time, I didn't run, but poised myself to fight. Even as I took a catlike battle stance, I marveled at the fact that I even had the ability to do so. Warily, I eyed the inhumanly beautiful man that was slowly approaching me, his hands raised apologetically. I snarled, then started at the sound.

"Please," the man said, "I'm not here to harm you." He was gorgeous. Blonde hair, tall, slender but obviously muscular. His eyes were liquid gold, and every curve and angle seemed to be chiseled out of marble. Even his very skin was the color of marble, practically glowing in the light of the moon. He looked to be in his early twenties, about my age. The smell, the one both intimately familiar and eerily foreign, belonged to him.

"Who are you?" I snarled. "What's happened to me?"

And so I met Carlisle Cullen, who calmly and patiently explained to me that he'd transformed me into a vampire. Naturally, I was skeptical, but I was so frightened by my new superpowers, I knew _something_ had happened. Slowly, I began to trust. I spent a year with Carlisle and his companion, a stunning and private young vampire named Edward, mastering my newfound skills and learning to feed. Carlisle was what he called a "vegetarian" vampire, meaning he did not feed on human blood. I did my best to follow his creed, but I slipped occasionally. After a year, we went our separate ways. I gave up Carlisle's vegetarian lifestyle, but committed myself to only feeding on the blood of murderers, rapists, and thieves. I justified it by telling myself I was improving the world and saving lives by removing the scum of society from it.

Many years passed before I encountered another vampire. I saw a second World War, and another in Korea, and another in Vietnam. I enlisted as a nurse in each war. Battlefields were the ideal place to feed on human flesh without guilt. I put many a dying soldier out of his misery. It was in the 1980s, a decade I spent largely in London, England, that I came across the first vampire I'd seen since Carlisle and Edward, more than sixty years in the past.

I was stalking my next prey, a fat, sweaty man who had a tendency to beat and rob the hookers he frequented. I was perched, invisible, among the eaves and chimneys of the streets of London, prepared to attack, when I was hit by a scent I hadn't encountered in more than half a century. That odd familiar-yet-foreign smell, although it was no longer foreign. It was the smell of a vampire. Familiar, because of the faint trace of human forever imbedded in our flesh, and foreign because of the smell of living death that no one but a vampire could put off. I immediately thought of Carlisle, but knew it wasn't him. Carlisle's scent had always been medicinally clean, from his centuries of working as a doctor, mixed with a faint taste of wilderness, from just as many centuries hunting for his meals in the woods.

This scent was different. Immediately, I leapt to a higher position on the rooftops, my eyes peeled for what I knew was nearby. Carlisle had taught me never to trust a vampire. They were territorial creatures, and a civil greeting was more often than not followed by a violent and unexpected attack. I sniffed the air, searching for this one's location. To my surprise, I caught the faint whiff of trees and moss, a smell I had believed to be unique to Carlisle. It was mixed with the smell of roses. Finally, I spotted him. Few people dotted the streets at this time of night, but even if it had been the middle of the day, when vendors and pedestrians thronged the streets, I'd have recognized him as a vampire. That odd, unsettling grace we all moved with, combined with the utter silence in which he moved, easily gave him away. He didn't look at me, but I knew he knew I was there. My scent must certainly have been as strong as his.

Curiosity finally overcame me, and I dropped to the ground behind him. My entire body quivered in anticipation, fully prepared to fight or retreat, depending on what this creature did.

Although I made no sound, he froze as my feet touched the ground. I sensed the tension in his body, as strong as mine, and I forced myself into an easy stance as he turned to face me.

He was exquisite. If Carlisle had been a god, this man was an Adonis. He was very tall, taller than Carlisle, but possessed none of Carlisle's slender litheness. No, this man was a Hercules, thick through the chest and muscles literally straining against his shirt, as though it might explode if he were to flex them. I swallowed. I hadn't realized vampires maintained a libido until desire slammed into my chest like a sledgehammer. He had thick, wavy black hair that fell just below his neckline in an untidy mess, and his eyes were the same liquid gold color as Carlisle's.

That last fact struck me as odd but I didn't have time to analyze it before he spoke.

"Well, well, well. I can't say I've ever seen you here before." He smiled, revealing his even, white, and completely deadly teeth. I smiled back, my jaw clenched with nerves.

"Likewise."

We studied each other for a long moment. I knew he was taking me in, assessing my stance and attempting to sum up my threat level. I did my best to remain relaxed, to lull him into believing I was harmless. I had no intention of attacking this vampire, but I wasn't about to let my guard down, either.

Finally, he spoke again. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Hector Klaus. With whom am I having the pleasure of this encounter?"

I hesitated, debating whether or not I should simply turn tail and run. Another glance at his physique told me it would be futile. "I am Lily Joseph," I replied. "I have wandered these streets for the better part of the last ten years, so I must say I'm rather surprised at this encounter." I surprised myself with my own boldness, but swallowed determinedly. I liked London. I wasn't about to let this newcomer bully me out of my town.

A brief but tense silence followed, then to my great surprise, he threw his head back and laughed. "You have nothing to fear from me, Lily Joseph. I have spent many a decade here in London, but have been out travelling, if you will, on the European continent. I like to occasionally visit my homeland, you see."

I relaxed ever so slightly, then cautioned myself against doing so. He could be putting me at ease, softening me up to make the attack swifter and less expected. "Your homeland?" I asked. "And where might that be?"

"Croatia," he responded. "I lived there until 1526, when I was changed. Where are you from?"

I quickly did the math in my head. I was facing off with a vampire who had been alive for almost 500 years, longer even than Carlisle. "Chicago," I replied, then reluctantly added, "Until 1922."

"Ah, the Jazz Age. Were you a flapper?" There was a twinkle in his eye as he smiled at me. This time, I couldn't help but smile back.

"No. I did briefly date John Torrio, though." A fact that had probably gotten me attacked that day back in 1922.

Hector raised his eyebrows. "You dated Johnny the Fox?"

I nodded. "You seem to know a lot about 1920s Chicago, Mr. Klaus," I observed.

He smiled. "It's Hector, and when you've lived as long as I have, you learn the importance of history. I was also living in New York at the time you are describing, so many news events that wouldn't normally have reached my ears here in Europe I'm very familiar with." He hesitated for a moment. "Chicago in the 1920s. I don't suppose you are familiar with Carlisle Cullen?"

If I'd had a heart, it would have stopped at the mention of my mentor's name. "How do you know Carlisle?" I asked.

"Ah! So you do know him! Excellent! Carlisle is a very old friend of mine. I owe him a great deal, including my diet habits."

I remembered again how his gold eyes had struck me as strange. Suddenly it clicked. Contrary to popular myth, vampires could see their reflections in mirrors, and I'd glanced at myself more than once over the years, amazed at the fact I hadn't aged a day. I also knew that my eyes were a bright, fiery red, more so after I fed. Carlisle's had always been gold. And he never fed on human flesh. This vampire, Hector, had gold eyes, and claimed he owed his eating habits to Carlisle. "You're a vegetarian?" I ventured.

He laughed. "Yes! I spent a quarter of a century with Carlisle, perfecting his difficult eating habits. He's really an enigma among vampires, Carlisle is. Have you seen him lately?"

I lowered my eyes, knowing he must be aware that I had not adopted Carlisle's noble way of feeding. "Not for sixty years," I admitted.

"Then you'll be pleased to know that I'm on my way to the states to visit him and his family!" Hector enthused. "I'd welcome the company, of course."


	2. Chapter 2

HECTOR

Hesitation flickered across her face. I knew what she was thinking. A meeting like this more often than not resulted in a violent territorial battle between the two vampires, often ending in one of their demises. She was incredibly beautiful, like all vampires, but in a less traditional way than most of the tall, slender, ice queens I'd encountered over the centuries. She wasn't as tall as was typical, for example. I guessed her to be around five-foot-seven next to my six-foot-four. Most female vampires were somewhere between five-foot-nine and five-foot-eleven. So though she was slender, she was able to pack just a tad more curves into her frame than most. It had been a long time since I'd been able to appreciate a womanly hourglass figure on a vampire, but she had one. I felt a surprising but not unfamiliar stirring in my midsection as I eyed her. Her hair was the color of a new penny, and fell in waves to the middle of her back. Like all vampires, she was pale, almost translucent in color, and her eyes were a deep red, almost black. I knew from experience that meant she was hungry. I'd most likely interrupted her hunt. I frowned inwardly. I had hunted for human flesh at one time, more than four hundred years ago. Carlisle Cullen had changed that about me, a change which I appreciated to no end.

She tossed her hair, eyeing me suspiciously. Every muscle in her body was tensed, prepared to fight if the need arose. She was a young vampire by my standards, but a tough one. She must have been a force of a woman as a human to transfer that so clearly into her new life.

"When do you leave?" she finally asked. I couldn't help but smile.

"I was hoping you'd say yes. I'm not on an official time schedule," I admitted, "but I had hoped to arrive sometime in October. What do you say?"

She opened her mouth to answer, then suddenly dropped into a low defensive stance, a snarl emerging from her lips. She looked like a cat, her back arched and her teeth bared. I smelled it too. Another vampire. One whose scent I recognized clearly. I glanced at Lily, knowing she'd be no match for this particular intruder. "No." I laid a hand on her shoulder. Beneath her cold skin, her muscles were rock hard and tensed for battle. She shuddered as I touched her, but I sensed that she was listening. "Run."

She glanced up at me, prepared to argue, but something in my face stopped her. "What about you?" she asked.

I frowned. "I'll be fine."

She shook her head. "I don't think so. If there's something in this city dangerous enough to scare you, I'm not leaving you alone with it. Not until you tell me what's going on."

The scent was growing closer. Even though we were upwind, I was sure he could smell us by now. I didn't have time to argue. "Fine. Follow me." I didn't want for a response, but whirled in place and took off down the alley. It was a dead end, but that didn't matter. I easily leapt to the rooftops, knowing our scent would be harder to distinguish up here in open air. Behind me, I could hear Lily echoing my movements. I practically flew from building to building, running until there was no trace of _his_ scent in the air. From my bird's eye view, I could see a cemetery in the distance. I smiled wryly at the irony, but knew it was far enough and isolated enough to hide until dawn. Not hesitating, I targeted its location, then pulled up when I realized my companion wasn't following me. I turned. "What are you waiting for?"

She stood perfectly still, sniffing the air. "It's gone."

"For now."

"No."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, no?"

"I mean, he caught our scent, but dismissed it. He knew you, though. Catching your scent both angered and amused him. Catching mine peaked his curiosity, but he just didn't care enough tonight to follow. Didn't want to come face to face with two vampires when one was an unknown."

"How could you possibly know that?" I asked, although I had a feeling I already knew the answer.

She shrugged. "I just do. He fed, then he left the city heading north." She looked up at the sky. "The sun's coming up. I need to feed. My home is on Park. Wait for me there. You have some explaining to do."

I almost laughed, until I realized how serious she was. I shrugged. If she was going to be my companion to the Americas, I might as well humor her. Besides, a friend of Carlisle's was a friend of mine. "I'll be waiting," I said. I watched as she vanished into the streets below, then headed in the direction of Park Street. It wouldn't be hard to figure out which home was hers. It would be the only one reeking of vampire.

She was a feisty one, this Lily. Clearly a fighter, and not afraid to exert some authority when she thought it was needed. An Alpha female if I'd ever seen one. I wondered at her ability to know that Alistair had sniffed out and dismissed us, then fed and moved on. My guess was she was able to decipher recent thoughts or feelings and events that had occurred within a certain distance of her. It was impressive. Not every vampire had special skills that exceeded the powers every vampire was created with. I did not, nor did Carlisle. But many did, and this one seemed like it had the possibility of being useful.

I found her home easily, and let myself in through a top floor window. It was clean, simply decorated, and dotted with feminine touches here and there, just enough to give away the fact that someone lived there. The only real personal touch was her library. Books dominated three large bookshelves lined up side by side. Perusing them, it was fairly easy to see where her interests lay. She loved history. European history was the most prevalent, though not exclusive to her collection. She'd been building her collection since before she was changed. First editions of dozens of now rare and expensive books dotted the shelves. I idly wondered if she had insurance on her collection. A lot of money was sunk into these books.

I smelled her coming before she arrived. I noticed with some amusement that her eyes, though no longer nearly black, were not the blazing red that accompanied feeding on human flesh. She'd gone out and found some animal to feed on, most likely because I'd reminded her of Carlisle, and the diet he'd no doubt taught her decades ago. "You have a marvelous book collection," I told her.

She shrugged. "I like books. I didn't know what to do with all my time after I was changed. You know, with not having to sleep and all. So I read."

"You study history." It made her ability to read the past suddenly make a little bit more sense.

"I always have. Not all of us have the benefit of having lived long enough to actually experience it." She smiled, and I was surprised to realize how pretty her smile was. I wondered how long it had been since I'd indulged in the pleasures of the flesh. Twenty, thirty years at least. I pushed the thought from my mind as fast as it entered.

"I suppose I owe you an explanation about what happened back there."

"I suppose you do."

I suppressed a smile. I was really starting to like this one. "That was Alistair Wilhelm. A German. Nothing about that man is, or ever has been, good. I met him during World War II. He was a Nazi prison camp guard then. He delighted in torturing his Jewish prisoners before feeding on them. He also had a penchant for Jewish girls. The things he did to their fragile little bodies," I shook my head, frowning at the horrid memories. "I was his superior commander – " she blanched, and I was forced to explain myself. "I was not a monster. I was there to save those poor souls. I was conscribed into the German army, and was horrified at what I saw. I knew the only way to make a difference was as an officer, so I worked hard to earn that rank. When they put me in charge of those prison camps, I used my sway to save as many innocent people as possible."

She nodded, although I could tell she was still disgusted by the fact that I had been, not only a Nazi, but a high ranking official in its army. I didn't blame her. Sometimes I was still disgusted myself. I plunged on. "As his superior commander, I gave him two choices. Leave Germany forever, or be exterminated. He laughed in my face and challenged me to a duel. At the time, he was little more than twenty years old as a vampire. I was more than 500. I assumed the fight would be over before it began. I was wrong." I sighed heavily, hating the next part of my story.

"When I arrived at the selected location, I arrived to find that I was outnumbered. Alistair had been building a personal guard of vampires during his time in the prison camp. Thirteen younger, stronger, far more dangerous vampires stood behind him in the clearing. I only just escaped, and even then at great cost." Lily stared at me, entranced by my story. "I'm sure you know," I continued, "that young vampires have no control over their bloodthirst." She winced, and I knew she knew what I was about to say. "I was forced to lead them to a work station, where the presence of humans distracted them sufficiently to allow me to escape. Alistair had kept them far enough away from the camps to keep them from sniffing out the humans and exposing themselves. That is why I never caught their scent."

"What happened to them?" Lily asked, her voice just barely a whisper.

"Alistair had lost control of them. Suddenly they viewed the prison camps as little more than a buffet. So, one by one, he executed them. By the time I returned, he was long gone. Our paths have crossed occasionally since then. He likes to keep tabs on me. His ultimate goal, I'm certain, is to destroy me. But he's biding his time. The longer he waits, the more seasoned a fighter he becomes. Soon, he'll be powerful enough to face me without an army to back him up."


	3. Chapter 3

LILY

Twenty-four hours later, I found myself seated first class in an airplane to the United States. Hector's story convinced me that it wasn't safe to stay in London – Alistair would certainly be back to investigate this strange new vampire he'd never encountered before – and before I knew it I was holding two tickets to New York. I bid a sorrowful farewell to my books, arranging for them to be hidden away in a storage unit until I returned, and we were off.

I'd never liked airplanes. Cross Atlantic flights were especially miserable. The smell of hundreds of humans crowded together like sardines made my mouth burn for their taste. For fifteen hours, I suffered through the grossest temptation imaginable. Before our flight, I'd hunted with Hector, taking down a deer to hold myself over until we got to the States. If I was going to be visiting Carlisle, I was going to have to adopt Carlisle's diet.

Hector's story had disturbed me greatly. I knew that in his own way he had tried to help, but the fact remained that he had been a Nazi. As a nurse in the French army at the time, I'd seen firsthand what the Nazis were capable of. Knowing that he'd been part of that… it chilled me to the core.

I glanced over at him now. Christ, he was beautiful. More beautiful than even a vampire should be. It was amusing to see how women reacted to him. A strange mixture of desire and repulsion washed over their faces as he passed. Humans had a natural revulsion to vampires, some sort of internal defense mechanism that encouraged them to avoid us.

"Did you meet Edward during your time with Carlisle?" Hector asked, breaking my train of thought. I glanced up at him.

"Edward? Yes. He'd been with Carlisle for about four years when I came along. I never really got to know him all that well. He was awfully quiet."

Hector nodded. "Edward is a very private individual. You're aware of his special… skill?"

"You mean his ability to hear people's thoughts? Yeah, I'm fairly familiar with that." I'd kept my distance from him because of it. It had been a lot to take in, that first year. Not only were vampires real, but I _was_ one, and I'd somehow fallen into a coven of vampires that did not feed on human blood but expected me to feed on wild animals. My senses had become super powers, I looked nothing like my former self, and now I had to deal with a boy who could read my mind. It was too much.

"Did they know about yours?"

"My what?"

"Your special ability."

"My what?" I blinked at Hector. "What are you talking about?"

"You must be joking. How else did you think you knew all those things about Alistair back in that alley?"

I shrugged. I'd never really thought about it, and admitted as such. "It wasn't really a skill I ever really needed. It was just there. I've never tried to harness or utilize it on purpose, you know?"

"It would make you a very effective detective," Hector grinned. "The ability to enter a room and know the events that took place there."

"I don't think that's how it works though," I protested. "I mean, I'm in this airplane and I couldn't tell you anything that happened here before we boarded. I couldn't even tell you what's been happening in coach!"

"Are you sure about that?"

I frowned. Of course I was sure, wasn't I?

"I mean, you admitted you've never played with your abilities. Who knows how much you might be able to see?" He leaned in close to me. "Why don't you practice right now, with this plane? Start simple. Do what you said. Tell me what's happened in coach since we boarded."

I rolled my eyes. "First of all, I can't imagine anything particularly interesting has happened to even tell about. Secondly, I don't know how to practice something like that."

"Just clear your mind and focus."

It was hard to fight the temptation to sigh, but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. To my great surprise, the slightest bit of concentration immediately harnessed me into the atmosphere surrounding the airplane. What did surprise me was the amount of atmosphere I was pummeled with. I immediately pulled away, overwhelmed. I glanced at Hector, embarrassed by his knowing grin.

"What did you see?"

"I didn't _see_ anything," I clarified. "But I _felt…_ a lot."

Hector's grin widened. "Excellent. Your… intuition, we'll call it, is fairly strong, then. It's just a matter of sifting through what you're feeling."

"How do you know all this?" I asked. "Do you have a special ability you just haven't told me about yet?"

"No." Hector actually managed to look a little disappointed. "I suppose my strength is a little unnatural, but that's about it. I have, however, come across the odd vampire that does possess certain abilities, and I've learned by observing them. Try focusing again, but try to narrow your focus. A plane is a relatively small space with extremely high occupancy. See if you can limit how far back in time you're looking, and then try to narrow it down to only a handful of feelings."

I frowned and tried again. At first, it was just another barrage. But slowly, I was able to narrow the scope, focusing on the strongest waves, which I assumed were the most recent, and ignoring everything else. I listened for a few minutes, then pulled away, chuckling. Hector was leaned over, staring at me intently.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"It's just that I was right," I grinned. "There's absolutely nothing interesting to report. I could see drinks spilling, pens being dropped, people falling asleep and being jerked awake by turbulence. Boring."

"But you could see it! That's amazing! It's like you can sense the memories that are left behind when someone leaves a place."

I nodded, more than a little amazed myself. "New York is a pretty historical city. We'll have to test it out somewhere a little more interesting."


	4. Chapter 4

HECTOR

Lily's wish to explore New York with her newfound powers were not to be realized, however. To both of our great surprise, we had a guest waiting for us at the airport. We both sniffed him out almost immediately upon entering the baggage claim area. I felt Lily tense beside me, and I grabbed her hand to remind her we were in public. It was the first time I'd touched her since that night in the alley, and the shock that raced through her hand to mind almost made me drop it. I stared at her, wondering if she'd felt it too. If she had, she wasn't paying it any attention. Her eyes, slowly fading to a dull red-brown, were peeled, intently searching for the vampire that was most certainly in the airport.

I saw him first, and immediately relaxed. It was Edward, Carlisle's young companion. I squeezed Lily's hand reassuringly, pointing her in the right direction. I felt the moment she spotted Edward, because I felt all the tension drain from her body. But not all the tension, not really. She'd been fairly quiet when I asked her about Edward before. All of a sudden I was wondering why.

Edward had already spotted us, had actually already grabbed our luggage. I chuckled to myself. It would be fairly easy to sniff out the only two bags that smelled like vampire. Grinning ear to ear, I extended a hand. I'd always liked Edward, from the moment I met him. It was a little uncomfortable knowing he could hear what I was thinking, but not having anything to hide from him made that a little bit easier. "Edward!" I enthused, pumping his hand like old college buddies, "I didn't know you'd be here to meet us! You remember Miss Lily Joseph?"

Edward's eyes, the same liquid gold as my own, slid over to Lily. He didn't smile, but nodded politely. Lily grimaced in what passed as a smile, and lowered her eyes. I felt a chill run through her hand. I hadn't realized I was still holding it. A little embarrassed at the moment, I let go, and returned my attention to Edward. "Is Carlisle here too?"

Edward shook his head. He hadn't changed a stitch since the last time I saw him. Same tousled, bronze hair, same brooding demeanor, same "I don't give a damn" stance. If James Dean had been a vampire, he would have been Edward Cullen. "Carlisle couldn't get away from work long enough to drive out here. I volunteered to come pick you up."

My surprise increased. "Well, we appreciate the personal service, but we'd planned on hopping a plane to Washington after a couple days here in New York."

"I like driving," Edward admitted, a trace of a smile appearing on his lips. "So I didn't mind. If you two want to see the sights for a few days, I've got nowhere to be. The weather's been great here. Lots of sunshine."

The words were casual, but the meaning behind them was clear. Contrary to popular belief, we vampires didn't evaporate in the sun. But we did react to it in a very conspicuous way, and we were all very carefully to avoid direct sunlight. "How long of a drive is it back to Forks?"

"Forty-six hours. I hope you like cars as much as I do." His eyes slid back to Lily. "I drove through Chicago on the way here. I thought you might like to see your old stomping grounds on the way home."

Lily's surprise at least matched my own. "I – I think I would like that. If it's okay with Hector." She stole glance up at me. It was easy to see that the idea was already growing on her. I could practically read the word "please" in her eyes. How could I possibly have said no?

"I'd love to see Chicago again. It's always been a favorite of mine."

The smile that lit up Lily's face was worth the very mild inconvenience. I was anxious to see my old friend again, but it wasn't like any of us were getting any older. I looked over at Edward. The smile on his face was more muted, but just as sincere. By now I was more than a little confused over their relationship. I vowed to ask Lily the moment I had her alone, which wouldn't be for at least forty-six hours.

LILY

We only spent one day and one night in Chicago, but it was enough. So much had changed since that night I'd decided to walk home from the Royal Gardens Café. The weather was rainy and overcast, allowing us to explore the city freely. I had been nervous when I first saw Edward in the airport, remembering my initial distrust of him and his terrifyingly personal power. Combined with that initial nervousness was the striking realization of how incredibly attractive he was. Before, as a young vampire, I'd been too confused and too overcome by my new persona to pay any attention to that sort of thing. All of a sudden I was acutely aware of it.

He'd been exactly the way I remembered him. Distant, mysterious, almost haunted. So when he came up with the idea to stop in Chicago, I'd been more than a little surprised. Forty-six hours in a car with a vampire I'd just met and one I had a less than fond memory of hadn't sounded like the most fun I'd had in my life. True, Hector was growing on me. Sometimes I was still dazzled by how sexually attractive I found him, but it was fairly easy to suppress. Sex wasn't a part of my life as a vampire. Plus, he was friendly, polite, a true gentleman in virtually every scenario. And we shared the same interest in history. I smiled, thinking of his amazement at my book collection, then again at my ability to read the past.

And Edward. Edward had proved himself to be more than a gentleman himself. He opened doors, asked polite questions, filled us in on life with Carlisle. Their little family had grown quite a bit. Carlisle was married now, and had "adopted" three other young vampires alongside Edward himself. It was obvious that Edward loved them all very much. It made me wonder what it would be like to have a family of vampires. I never had a family of my own, so my only memories of family came from growing up in the home of my bootlegger father. My mother had died when I was a young girl.

Both men had insisted on my sitting in the front seat. I felt a little guilty, knowing how large Hector was and how uncomfortable the front seat of Edward's sporty two door must have been, but he'd insisted. Driving with Edward was an experience. He hadn't been kidding when he said he enjoyed driving. If the car could have sprouted wings, he would have made it fly.

He doted on me. His initial silence had given way to a steady stream of surprisingly comfortable conversation. He shared with me his interests in music, in languages, and of course in cars. I shared with him my love of London, my books, and of history. Hector, initially enthusiastic to be a part of our conversations, gradually fell quieter and quieter. I felt a pang of guilt at his exclusion, knowing he was a social sort, and excited about seeing his old friend.

In Chicago, I had two very different encounters with both men. When we arrived in town, Edward politely excused himself to go hunt. Hector and I strolled the streets, chatting about the time we'd spent in the city. Eventually, Hector turned the conversation back to Edward. We'd been sitting on a dock late at night, watching the waves lap at the shores of Lake Michigan, not really talking about anything in particular. Carlisle came up, and his new family. Hector seemed to hesitate for a moment when we got to Edward, then asked, "I'm sorry if I'm being rude, but can I ask what kind of relationship you and Edward had before you left them?"

It was an odd question. I shrugged. "Honestly? I was scared of him. Carlisle was so friendly and open, and Edward was always so quiet, like he was just watching, always watching. Knowing he could read my mind didn't make me feel any more comfortable. So I avoided him. It wasn't that I didn't like him. I just didn't like being around him."

"So that would explain the nervousness you felt upon seeing him in the airport."

I looked up at him, surprised. He smiled guiltily. "I was holding your hand. I could feel you tense up."

I vaguely remembered him grabbing my hand. The memory, forgotten until that moment, was a warm one. I grinned. "Oh yeah. You thought I was going to go full vampire on you in the middle of a crowded airport."

"Something like that." He grinned, and took my hand again. I smiled, then slipped my hand out of his. I was attracted to him enough as it was without physical contact.

"Why do you ask about Edward anyway?" I asked, hoping to steer the subject back to slightly more neutral territory.

"No reason." He didn't seem bothered by the exchange, and I breathed a soft sigh of relief. Hector was fast becoming my best friend and mentor. I didn't dare mix business with pleasure. "I just noticed the initial encounter, and ever since you two have practically been inseparable. I've never seen Edward string more than two sentences together before. It's intriguing."

The thought of my being responsible for Edward's uncharacteristic openness made me grin. "I've noticed that, too. He's so sweet. I never remember him being sweet." Or captivating. Or so pretty to look at. There were a lot of things about Edward I didn't remember, apparently.

Hector's smile had faded as he stared out over the lake. "He's a good kid. And a lot closer to your age, both in human years and in vampire years. And you must know how pretty you are. I think Edward, for all his enigmatic behavior and aloofness, is a romantic at heart. Maybe it just took you to wake it up in him."

I'd left the dock that night with a knot in my stomach. On one hand, my heart fluttered like a little girl's at the thought of waking Edward's romantic side. On the other, I somehow felt guilty expressing that pleasure to Hector. It was obvious he was growing attached to me, like a father to his daughter. So why did I feel so bad whenever Edward was in the same room as us?

I laughed at myself. What an easy question to answer. No daughter felt completely comfortable with her dad and new boyfriend in the same room together. Not that Edward was my new boyfriend of course, but – I stopped myself. I was being ridiculous. I'd thought being a vampire had ceased such childish notions from entering my head.

The following morning, when we left Chicago, Hector excused himself to go hunt. I'd hunted on my own in the early morning hours, not long after leaving the dock. Each of us preferred to go alone, which I was grateful for. Edward and I lingered in the hotel room. The beds were smooth and untouched. Vampires didn't sleep. A cool silence had fallen between us. I was lost in thought, over-analyzing my conversation with Hector again and scorning myself for doing so. Who knew what Edward was thinking about.

All of a sudden, Edward started laughing. I started, having half-forgotten he was in the room with me. "What?" I asked.

"So Hector thinks you've woken up a secret romantic side inside of me, does he?" he teased. I was mortified. It had completely slipped my mind that my thoughts weren't safe around Edward. Thoroughly embarrassed, I scrambled for an explanation, knowing there wasn't one. Still laughing, Edward approached me, slipping his arms around my waist and pulling me close, so that our bodies were just centimeters away from each other. I gulped.

"I like that," he said. "The idea of a romantic side. But I like even more the fact that you seem to really, really, really like the idea."

If vampires could blush, I would have been beet red from head to toe. "You really shouldn't be eavesdropping like that," I scolded him. His smile widened.

"You know how it is. You can't control the fact that you can sense things. You just learn to ignore the unimportant stuff." He lowered his head slightly, his eyes sparkling. "You know what else I like?"

"What?" I was rapidly beginning to lose sense of anything in the room except Edward. I gulped again, nervous and excited at the same time.

"You. You've changed, Lily. When I first met you, you were a high strung, nervous, excitable train wreck of a vampire."

The excitement faded, replaced by anger. "Gee, thanks," I frowned, moving to push him away. He held me tight.

"Let me finish," he chuckled. "Maybe you haven't changed that much. I always thought you were pretty, you know. Being a vampire becomes you. But now you're stronger, both mentally and skillfully. I'm impressed. And very, very attracted."

"Oh." I bit my lip in an effort not to smile. "Is that all?"

"Just shut up and let me kiss you already," he grinned. I didn't argue, and when he lowered his lips to mine, it was like a bubble burst inside of me. I slipped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, so that our bodies were melded together. The kiss deepened, and I began to imagine tumbling into bed, clothes flying. I'd never had vampire sex.

Someone suddenly cleared their throat behind us. We both jumped, and I guiltily drew away from Edward. How neither of us had noticed Hector enter the room was beyond me. Or at least, I hadn't noticed. The look on Edward's face was distinctly masculine, in a way that told me he knew Hector had seen, and was glad he had seen. Like he was laying claim to me. Guilt rolled with pleasure again in my stomach as I watched Hector's face.

He was carefully emotionless, I polite smile on his face. "Sorry to interrupt," he said, his eyes flicking back and forth between the two of us. But the sun is coming out. I thought maybe it was time for us to go."


	5. Chapter 5

HECTOR:

Walking in on Edward and Lily had been like a kick to the gut. Lily had looked believably guilty, clearly having no idea that I was in the room. Edward, on the other hand, clearly had. The look he gave me was one of absolute triumph. The look surprised me. I hadn't known we were competing. Granted, there was _something_ about Lily that drew me inexplicably toward her like a moth to a flame, but in no way was I vying for her attention. She was sexy as hell, but there I drew the line. It was more like I'd taken her under my wing. I wanted to see her soar.

The remainder of our drive to Forks was borderline painful. New love is wonderful, sure, when you're the one in it. As a passive observer, it was nauseatingly sickening. I was happy for them, I really was. Edward had opened up in a way I would never have believed sixty odd years ago. I hadn't known Lily long, but it was obvious that this experience, though entirely foreign to her, gave her much pleasure.

Then why did I want to punch a hole through Edward's expensive, fast car every time he leaned over to kiss her? I wasn't jealous, I told myself. At least not of his lips. I suppose I felt like Lily had been my friend, that I'd been her companion on this particular journey, and she'd been stolen from me almost before we landed. Yes, that must be it. Identifying it made me feel more sane, but not really any better.

Seeing Carlisle did, though. It was all I could do not to greet my old friend with a tremendous bear hug. Like all vampires, he hadn't changed a bit. Tall, though not as tall as me, blonde, young, and slim. I was introduced to his beautiful young wife, Esme, who looked a bit like Lily with her soft body and red hair, and the rest of their family. A tiny, pixie like snip of a girl named Alice, whose personality matched her looks precisely; a lanky, blonde, haunted looking fellow named Jasper, who it turned out was romantically linked to little Alice; Emmet, a burly but cheerful bulk of a young man, and finally, his mate, the cool and breathtakingly stunning Rosalie.

Lily, whose eyes were now almost the same shade of gold as everyone else's, was greeted fondly by Carlisle. She did hug him, so tight I thought he might break under the pressure, exclaiming over his family. Esme, obviously the tremendous sweetheart Edward had described her as, greeted her with an equally warm hug and sincerely welcomed her into their home. Alice, too, enveloped her in a warm hug, although it seemed to be born out of the excitement she could hardly keep contained in her little body. Jasper was pleasant and polite, if a little distant, while Emmet more than compensated for his "brother's" distance with a crude joke and jolly handshake. Rosalie was polite, though it would have been hard to describe her as pleasant. It was an interesting family dynamic to be sure, and I noticed more than a few eyebrows raise when Edward easily took Lily's hand in his with no explanation.

After a brief tour of their fabulous home, I begged off to spend a few hours reminiscing with Carlisle. We walked through the wooded area surrounding the house, and he asked me about Edward and Lily. I forced a smile at his question. "I really couldn't tell you how it happened, Carl. One minute they could hardly look each other in the eye, the next their attached at the hip. You know how it is with those young kids. One kiss and they think they're in love."

Carlisle laughed. "To be entirely honest with you, when I changed Lily, I had done so in the hopes that she would become a mate for Edward. He needs one so badly. Always has. But I think he scared her a bit, and he was never all that personable, if you'll remember."

I nodded. I did remember. Almost wished for it now. "What changed?"

"I think Esme did a lot to change him." Carlisle smiled at the thought of his beautiful wife. "A woman's touch, you know? Then I tried Rosalie. Nothing, not even a spark between them. She chose Emmet, changed him herself. Alice and Jasper just sort of wandered into the family, and I think Alice did the most to bring him out of himself. They're best friends, those two."

"Did you ever know about Lily's gift?" I asked, curious to see if I was the only one who had picked it up. Carlisle frowned, a sure sign that the answer was no. I continued on. "She can read the past, Carlisle. She didn't even know she was doing it. I had to point it out to her. But it's strong, and she's learning to harness it."

"Read the past? How so?"

"When she walks into a room, she can sense past events that have happened there. And not only the events, but the thoughts and feelings of the people involved."

Carlisle was silent for a moment. "That explains some things about her behavior when we were first together. She always seemed to know what was going on, even if she hadn't been around for it. I just figured she was intuitive. I never imagined it was on that large of a scale."

"You don't know the half of it. The first time I noticed it, we were being pursued by another vampire. We'd but several city blocks between us and him, but she was still able to tell me when and why he had given up the chase."

Carlisle's eyes widened. "Why were you being chased?" he asked. I cursed myself for letting it slip. Alistair wasn't one of those people I liked to bring up in casual conversation.

"It was my fault really. I know him from the war, and he has a bit of a vendetta against me. He was afraid to face off against both of us without knowing how powerful Lily might be."

Carlisle frowned. "He wouldn't follow you here, would he?"

"He couldn't," I assured him. "We were on a plane within 24 hours. It's the reason I bumped up the date of our visit."

We smelled them before we saw them. Edward and Lily, walking hand in hand through the trees. As if on cue, my stomach jerked violently, and the taste in my mouth turned sour. What was wrong with me? Why did it matter to me so much that Edward and Lily were an item? I'd barely known Lily for a week, and Edward… well Edward was a friend of Carlisle's, and any friend of Carlisle's was a friend of mine. Besides, I'd liked him quite a bit up until our drive through Chicago.

Perfectly aware that he could read my mind, I smiled at Edward and nodded. His return smile was nowhere near as gloating as the one in the hotel room. It almost seemed genuine. That made me feel a little better. Maybe Lily really was what he needed.

I shifted my gaze to Lily. Once again, she looked incredibly uncomfortable in my presence. She let her hand drop from Edward's, and even took half a step away. He looked at her curiously, then snapped his gaze back to me, his eyes narrowing. I looked to Carlisle for help. He seemed to be watching the exchange, bewildered and a little amused. Desperate to break up the incredibly awkward moment, I dove in. "Giving Lily a tour of the property, Edward?" I asked, hoping my tone was casual enough.

Edward nodded. "We've been testing out her powers. She's actually quite a good tracker, being able to tell what animals were where, and how long ago."

That made sense. I turned to Lily and smiled. "Carlisle and I were just discussing your unique skills."

"Yes," Carlisle said, finally joining the conversation. "I'd love for you to give me a demonstration."

Lily looked a little embarrassed, and glanced up at me, then at Edward. Edward, reading her mind, gestured to me. "I think I'll show Hector up to the house," he suggested. "I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on anyway." Grabbing me by the elbow, he lead me further down the trail.

I frowned. "What was all that about?" I asked, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

"Look, I've always liked and respected you, Hector, and I know you're Carlisle's best friend. So I don't want there to be any bad blood between us."

"Likewise," I agreed.

He ignored my interruption. "I'm going to be honest with you. I like Lily. A lot. I've never met anyone like her. She's smart, and gorgeous, and fierce, and well, I think you know all that. And she likes me. The thing is, she likes you too. She just doesn't really know it. That's why she acts so nervous whenever the three of us are in a room together. Being around you when she's with me makes her feel guilty."

"What are you saying?" I asked. "That you want me to stay away? That you want me to leave?"

"I'm not saying anything. I just wanted you to know where everything stands."

I wasn't entirely sure what to say. If Lily had conflicting feelings about me, the best thing I could do for her would be to stay away. She and Edward were clearly good for each other. And my feelings toward Lily, well, I guess you could say they were also conflicted, at best. I looked over at Edward, knowing he was hearing every word I was thinking. "All right, Edward," I finally said. "You don't have anything to worry about from me. I never intended to give Lily misleading signals, and I'm sorry if I caused her any grief. I'm not going to cut my visit with Carlisle short, but I'll do my best to be as unobtrusive as possible when it comes to the two of you. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough." The tension visibly drained from Edward's frame, and he smiled at me. "You're a good man, Hector. I'm glad you and Carlisle found each other."


	6. Chapter 6

LILY:

Three months passed like a dream. My relationship with Edward, passionately consummated our first night in Forks, continued to grow. The sex… well, the sex was great. Not just great. Phenomenal. So phenomenal, actually, that just his presence in a room was enough to send me into a depraved, carnal state of mind. The same was true for him. We couldn't keep our hands off each other. Sometimes I thought if we didn't have to feed, or interact with his family, sex would be all we would do.

I developed a fast friendship with Rosalie, who rapidly became my best girlfriend. Sure, she could be a little snarky sometimes, but I had much more in common with her than I did with Alice, although I loved her just as much. Beyond Rosalie, I grew very close to Esme. We looked so similar, with our build and coloring, that we began to introduce ourselves as sisters when we went out in public.

The vegetarian lifestyle was hard for me at first. Because of this, I thought I would bond with Jasper, who also struggled with it. For some reason, though, Jasper was never really anything other than distantly polite to me. At first I was hurt, but eventually shrugged it off. It was just his way, I supposed. My friendship with Carlisle grew stronger, and I spent many hours with him, practicing my powers, which I now thrilled at. And of course there was Emmett, who I wouldn't say became a good friend, but certainly became my unspoken – and entirely playful – rival in just about anything. He would challenge me to anything, if he thought he might win, a game I thoroughly enjoyed, even though I lost as often as not.

Hector was a sore spot. He remained with the family for just under a month before announcing his decision to return to Europe. To my surprise, I'd been a little hurt by his decision. Over the course of the month he was there, he'd grown more and more distant. The night after he announced his decision to leave, I asked him to walk with me in the woods. I pretended not to notice Edward's blistering gaze as we wandered outside.

I walked until I knew there was no chance of Edward being able to hear us. I continued to feel guilty when I was with them both and having Edward in my mind felt the same as having him in the same room as us. Hector was quiet, unnaturally so. I was the first to finally break the silence.

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" I asked.

He didn't look at me. "I just did."

"I know, but – " I hesitated, not sure how to phrase my question. "Why did you keep it to yourself until tonight? It didn't sound like it was a last minute decision. It sounded like you'd been planning this for awhile."

"I have. And I didn't keep it to myself. Carlisle and Esme have known since last week."

That actually hurt more. Suddenly angry, I grabbed his arm and jerked, forcing him to look at me. "What is your problem, Hector? Why are you acting this way?"

He stared at me, startled by my outburst. I suddenly became acutely aware of the electric current racing from his arm to my hand. I let go, a little embarrassed, but still angry enough to hold his gaze with a glare of my own. He looked at me like he wanted to say something, then changed his mind. "I don't know what you're talking about," he growled, turning and picking up his stride again. I growled, a low, threatening sound. I didn't like when people turned their back on me.

"Don't you walk away from me, and don't you lie to me," I hissed, halting him in his steps. "You've been acting strange ever since we got here. I know I haven't known you that long, but I think I know you well enough to know when you're avoiding me." A light went on in my head. "Is this about Edward? I thought you liked him. I thought you approved of our relationship."

Hector's back was still to me. I saw him drop his head, saw his chest heaving and realized he was struggling to control his own temper. Good. If he was angry at least he was showing some god damn emotion. "So what is it?" I pushed. "Because I know you know what I'm talking about. Don't patronize me. It's insulting."

"Fine. You really want to know why I've been acting the way I have, Lily?" Hector whirled on me, covering the distance between us in a nanosecond. All of a sudden he was just inches from me, his imposing, muscular body practically blotting me out as he loomed above me. My breath caught in my throat as his golden eyes bored into mine. God damn it, why did he have to be so _confusing?_ My brain refused to work when he was this close. But I wasn't about to back down. I puffed out my chest, mimicking his masculine stance and leveling my gaze with his. I held his eyes, but every part of me screamed to drop my gaze to his lips, just to… what? See? I gulped as his eyes did just that, dropping to my mouth for just a moment too long, then back, slowly, painfully, to my eyes. I wasn't sure I liked the burning I saw there. Wasn't sure I didn't love it.

All of a sudden he snarled, leaping past me and practically knocking me to the ground in the process. I staggered, shocked by the sudden break in the moment. I was about to ask him what the hell he thought he was doing it, when I smelled it too.

Alistair.

How could he have followed us here? He was in London! Instinctively, I arched my body into a defensive stance. He wasn't far. It would do little good to turn and run now. A moment later, his figure materialized out of the shadows. Hector repositioned himself, carefully to keep his body between mine and Alistair's.

He looked nothing like I imagined. I'd pictured him more sinister, somehow, with beady eyes and fangs, even though I knew it was ridiculous. But he looked just like any other vampire. Meeker, actually, like a man constantly mistaken for a young boy. Short, about my height, with short, mousy brown hair and full, boyish cheeks. But his eyes were blood red, and his smile chilled me to the bone. He reminded me of an older version of the boy from The Omen. Absolutely terrifying despite his innocuous looks.

"Well, well, well," he said, slowly circling us. Hector mirrored his movements, careful to remain between us. I suddenly found myself wishing I hadn't walked us out of Edward's hearing range. An extra vampire or six would certainly come in handy right about now. "What a pleasure stumbling upon you like this, Hector."

"What are you doing here, Alistair," Hector snarled. It wasn't a question. Alistair's grin widened.

"Me? I'm just here on vacation. I've always loved the Pacific Northwest. It's so beautiful this time of year." His eyes slid over to me, and a chill ran down my spine. I bared my teeth, not liking what I was seeing, and practically screaming in my mind for Edward to come find us. _Bring reinforcements_, I thought. "And who is this?"

"I don't think that's any of your business," I snapped. This time the hiss from Hector's mouth was intended for me. Shut up, it said. Let me handle this.

I was damned if I was going to let Hector treat me like some faint-hearted maiden. I could defend myself, damn it. My response only seemed to please Alistair, because he started laughing. "I can see why you like this one, Hector. She's got spirit."

Hector's growl was low and feral. "She's got nothing to do with this, Alistair. If you have a bone to pick with me, then do it. But leave her out of it."

"Now why would I go and do something like that?" he asked, still slowly circling us. I realized that with each round he tightened his circle, creeping closer and closer to striking distance. "When you've so clearly got a soft spot for her?"

Another growl from Hector. Again, despite the very palpable tension rolling off each of us, I found myself pleased at the thought that Hector valued me enough to put himself in harm's way. Then again, he was a gentleman like that. Maybe he was simply defending me because I was a woman. Not any sort of special woman, mind you. Just a woman.

"Let's face it, Hector. You're not scared of me. And I'm not stupid. You're bigger than me and more experienced than me. I'd never win in hand to hand combat. But this," he nodded at me, and I found myself growling back at him, "this gives me leverage."

"I don't give you anything," hissed.

"You're underestimating her, Alistair," Hector said, his voice low and dangerous. "You've made that mistake in the past. It would be unwise to repeat it."

Alistair scoffed, the creepy smile still smeared across his face. "Maybe it's you who underestimate me, Hector. I recall you've made that mistake in the past as well."

From my angle, I could see a grin slowly spread across Hector's face. "I can tell you one mistake you've made," he said, standing up straighter and almost entirely dropping his defensive pose. "You failed to do your research in this situation."

"What?" Alistair stared, befuddled by Hector's sudden change in demeanor. I stared at him for a moment as well, then suddenly found myself echoing his smug smile. Alistair had indeed made a grave mistake.

Alistair realized his mistake too late. He made half an attempt to bolt, but found himself suddenly face to face with a very pissed-off Emmett. From around the clearing, six more vampires slowly appeared, creating a perfect circle and cutting off every possible escape route. Edward was suddenly by my side, his entire body braced for a fight. To his left, Alice and Jasper stood, perfectly still, but perfectly lethal. Even Esme, the least confrontational person I'd seen in my life, had the look of a killer in her eye.

Alistair was trapped. He spun in several circles, taking in his sudden turn in luck. Clearing his throat, he stood up straight and smiled what I imagined was his most charming smile. "I'm afraid I've failed to introduce myself properly," he said, although I heard the very clear slice of fear in his voice.

Carlisle cut him off. "I don't think introductions are necessary," he said coolly. "You have three minutes to remove yourself from my property, and a day to remove yourself from the state of Washington. If I hear a glimmer of your continued presence within a hundred mile radius of me or my family, I will personally hunt you down and tear your head off."

I gaped at Carlisle, shocked. I hadn't known that sort of viciousness lived inside the pleasant, laid-back doctor.

Knowing he was in a lose-lose situation, Alistair bowed politely. "It was a pleasure to meet you all. Hector," he nodded in Hector's general direction, then turned to me. "My lady. I trust we'll be meeting again. Soon." And with that, he was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

HECTOR:

For a brief, almost imperceptible moment, I thought she was going to come to me. I wanted her to. Our eyes locked, and I felt a sharp, painful stab of guilt as I realized what I'd unwittingly dragged her into. I thought I saw her lean toward me, like she was going to take a step in my direction, like she was going to fall into my arms and I was going to crush her against me and whisper in her hair that I was sorry, so sorry. Then the moment passed, and everyone was moving. Edward moved the fastest, pulling her into his arms and reassuring both of them that she was okay. Rosalie and Esme also moved toward her, worried, curious. The rest turned to me for answers. I didn't look at Carlisle. Couldn't. I'd promised him that I wouldn't bring that dangerous man anywhere near his home or his family, and yet I'd done just that.

"Hector, who was that?" Alice was the first to ask the question that was on everyone's mind. I told them, watching as their faces registered first shock, then anger at his gall in following me here. I didn't dare mention my suspicion that Lily had been a huge contributing factor to that decision. The last thing I wanted was for them to cast her out because of me.

Alice, always a sweet little thing, hugged me, relieved that we were all okay. I looked down at her. "How did you know we were here?"

She shuddered. "I saw what he was planning," she admitted. Like Edward and Lily, Alice too had a special skill. She could see the future, but only once a plan was decided upon. It was one of the reasons the Cullens were so wealthy. It was easy to make money when one of your own could accurately predict stock trends.

I didn't like the look on her face. "And what exactly was that?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to say. It was too awful. I tried to warn everyone, but it wasn't until Edward read my mind and took off, no questions asked, that anyone really knew something was wrong."

I nodded. I'd seen Alice when she was having one of her premonitions. It was like someone turned her off – she was like a plank of wood, stiff and unseeing. She was never quite herself immediately after an especially powerful one, so it could be difficult for her to convey what she had seen with complete accuracy. "He wouldn't have won, you know," I assured her.

"I know," she replied, though she didn't sound entirely convinced. "He's pure evil, that man."

"Hector." Edward spoke up from the other side of the clearing, where he still had his arms protectively around Lily. Rosalie and Esme stood on either side of them. Rosalie looked disapproving. Esme looked troubled. Edward looked pissed.

"Edward?" I responded.

"I think you should go. Now. Tonight." There was no denying the absolute conviction in my voice. He wasn't asking me. He was telling me.

"Edward," Lily began to protest, but he cut her off before he could finish.

"He's led that man to our family. If it weren't for your presence here," he said, directing his words at me, "he never would have come. We have to believe that he'll remain as long as you do. So you have to go."

I gritted my teeth. I didn't like being told what to do by Edward, but I knew he was right. I turned to Carlisle. He looked sad, but he obviously agreed with what Edward was saying. "I'm sorry, Hector," he said.

"No, I'm sorry. Edward's right." I hated saying the words even more. "Alistair would never have come here if he weren't following me. You're not safe until I'm gone." But Alistair's words lingered in my mind. _Now why would I want to go and do that, when you've so clearly got a soft spot for her?_ He'd called her his leverage. I wondered if it was too late for my leaving to make a difference. I didn't say so, but I saw Edward's face darken and knew he heard every word. Unspoken, I agreed to meet him in private before I departed. For Lily's sake.

I said my goodbyes quickly that night. Even though it pained me to do so, I saved the quickest goodbye for Lily. I had to do everything in my power to distance myself from her. Because now she was a target. I had no doubt that she could defend herself, but I also knew what Alistair was capable of. I didn't want to give him the upper hand, even if it meant hurting her. Even if it meant hurting me.

Edward was driving me to the airport. Our conversation in the car was one of the most awkward and unpleasant I'd ever experienced.

"You love her," he said shortly. We were barely out of the driveway.

"What?!" I couldn't help but turn my head and stare at him.

"Don't deny it, Hector. It's so obvious. Even in your thoughts."

"I'm not in love with Lily, Edward." I wasn't. Really, I wasn't. I just… didn't want to see her hurt. So I was a little protective. So what? I definitely wasn't in love with her.

"Yes, you are. You don't want to admit it to yourself, and that's fine. But let me tell you right now, you are in love with Lily Joseph."

"You're out of your mind," I said quietly. I refused to even entertain the thought. So what if the thought of her sent my head spinning? She was fascinating. That was all.

"And you're in denial. But you're leaving, and she's staying, and that's all that matters." I could hear the faint echo of satisfaction in his voice, but decided to ignore it.

"If that's the case, why are we even talking about it then?" I snapped. I was really starting to not like this Edward after all.

He grinned a cold grin. "Like me or not, we have a common interest. Unfortunately for you, the only interest that matters in this case is mine. So here's what I'm going to say to you. I hold you personally responsible for exposing Lily to that man. I saw what Alistair wanted to do to her. He knows you love her too. There's no other reason to cause any human, or vampire for that matter, that much pain, unless you know it's going to cause someone else even more pain."

I swallowed. I'd been afraid of that. "Then you and Alistair have made the same mistake. You've misinterpreted my feelings for Lily and skewed it into something you wanted to believe."

"It doesn't _matter_ if Alistair misinterpreted it or not!" Edward bellowed, slamming his fists into the dashboard. I noted with some amusement the damaging impressions he'd left in his beloved car. "It's what he believes, and he believes he can hurt you the most through her! So that's what he'll do! And whether or not you love Lily, which you do, could you really live with the knowledge that she suffered and died because of you?"

No. No, of course I could never live with that knowledge. And Edward knew this. "So what do you want me to do?" I challenged. "I'm leaving. All I can do is hope Alistair follows. It's out of my hands now."

"You can never see her again, you know. Or talk to her. Or speak of her. You have to forget her entirely. It's the only way he'll leave her alone. If he truly thinks you don't care what happens to her, he'll go away. Do you love her enough to do that?"

I frowned, furiously wanting to plunge my fists through his glove box. "I can do that," I said.


End file.
